Effects of β-elemene on radiosensitivity of Colo320 cells in vitro

Objective: To investigate the effects of β-elemene of low-cytotoxic concentration (20 μg/mL) on radiosensitivity of Colo320 cells in vitro and its mechanisms. Methods: Radiosensitivity of Colo320 cells was detected by MTT assay and clone forming assay; the apoptosis rate of Colo320 cells was measured by TUNEL. Results: Compared with those in the simple radiation group, the OD value and the number of cell clones significantly decreased (P<0.05) while the apoptosis rate significantly increased (P<0.05) in β-elemene (20 μg/mL) combined with irradiation groups at the same radiation dose. Conclusion: β-elemene of low-cytotoxic concentration may enhance the radiosensitivity of Colo320 cells by inducing cell apoptosis.